HOUSE BILL REPORT
HB 2923


This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

As Passed House:
February 12, 2008

Title: An act relating to providing an alternative method for weight tickets for transporting hay or straw.

Brief Description: Providing an alternative method for weight tickets for transporting hay or straw.

Sponsors: By Representatives Hinkle, Warnick, Blake, Chandler, Hailey, Schmick, Kretz, Williams, Eickmeyer, Condotta, McCune, VanDeWege and Newhouse.

Brief History:

Agriculture & Natural Resources: 1/28/08, 1/31/08 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House: 2/12/08, 97-0.

Brief Summary of Bill
  • Allows hay or straw processing facilities to provide weight tickets, provided the scale used is approved by the Washington State Department of Agriculture.


HOUSE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE & NATURAL RESOURCES

Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 11 members: Representatives Blake, Chair; Van De Wege, Vice Chair; Kretz, Ranking Minority Member; Warnick, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Eickmeyer, Grant, Loomis, McCoy, Nelson, Newhouse and Orcutt.

Staff: Colleen Kerr (786-7168).

Background:

Statute requires that every dealer and commission merchant dealing in hay or straw must obtain a certified vehicle tare weight and a certified vehicle gross weight for each load hauled and must furnish the consignor with a copy of the certified weight ticket within 72 hours after taking delivery. It is a statutory violation for any licensee to transport hay or straw purchased by weight without the licensee having obtained a certified weight ticket from the first licensed public weighmaster encountered on the ordinary route to the destination for unloading the hay or straw.

A dealer is any person who is not a cash buyer and who solicits for the purposes of reselling. A commission merchant is any person who receives agricultural purchases on consignment for resale. A consignor is any producer who sells, ships, or delivers agricultural product to any dealer or commission agent. A licensee is any person or business licensed under statute, among other things, as a dealer or commission agent.

Tare weight is the weight of a vehicle or container when it is empty. Generally, to calculate the net weight of a load, the container is weighed to establish the tare weight and then weighed again for the gross weight, and the tare is subtracted from the gross to determine how heavy the load is.


Summary of Bill:

If the dealer or commission merchant and a consignor agree in advance and in writing, a certified vehicle tare weight and certified vehicle gross weight may be obtained from a hay or straw processing facility, using a scale approved by the Director of the Washington State Department of Agriculture.


Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) This bill provides a technical fix to a gap in the law. As it stands, one must load up their vehicle with the hay or straw and then drive to get it weighed without knowing whether the vehicle is over weight. In the meantime, the state patrol can pull the vehicle over and issue a citation. This bill will allow the hay and straw processors to issue weight tickets and facilitates farmers getting their product to market.

(Opposed) None.

Persons Testifying: Representative Hinkle, prime sponsor.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.